Discipline
by noob7
Summary: After acting up and given a small punishment, Roy has to learn that a child must be corrected for his mistakes. But sometimes it's the parents that need correction as well. Oneshot.


**A/N: Just some father-son fluff. It was too cute to pass up. I personally saw Eliwood's wife as Lyn, but I left the imagination open to the readers. Reviews and constructive criticism are welcome. Flamers...can keep having a different opinion. Lastly, I don't own Fire Emblem and its material.**

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"ROY! THAT IS THE LAST STRAW! I HAVE HAD IT!"

"But…but daddy…I didn't mean to…"

"Enough!" Eliwood narrowed his eyes at the young child in front of him and pointed towards the door. "Out! Get out now!"

Roy was so scared at the moment that he couldn't even move, but one harsh glare from his father urged him to quickly scamper out of the room. He flinched when he heard the door slam shut behind him. Roy started to whimper his way down the hall as he recalled the entire scene. Eliwood had invited his son to sit and play in the study while he worked. The four-year-old behaved himself at first, but when he started to grow bored, he became more mischievous. He began to talk and shout louder, which earned him a small warning. The second time he was scolded was when he tried to get his father's attention by nudging him on the shoulder, which caused Eliwood to scratch a long black line across his paperwork. This time, Eliwood sat his son down in a chair and ordered him not to cause anymore ruckus unless he wanted to be sent out. As he sat in the chair, Roy took out a ball and started to bounce it up and down. However, he accidentally bounced it on his foot, which sent the ball sailing through the air and it struck an expensive-looking vase that had been in the Pheraen family for generations. When the glass shattered into a million pieces, Eliwood had flipped out.

Roy cut his mind off of there as he did not want to recall the severe expression in his father's eyes, but he could hear the harsh words replay in his mind. He had never seen Eliwood so angry before and he felt guilty that he was the one who triggered his father's rage. A sight caught his attention as he was trudging down the hallway. He saw his mother in the sitting room, reading one of her favorite novels. Roy immediately perked up; his mother always knew what to say to him to comfort him. Quietly, the young boy scurried over to the couch that his mother was sitting on and plopped himself down next to her. Sensing someone else's presence, she gazed up from the book she was reading and smiled when she saw Roy.

"Hello, Roy."

"Hi, Mommy."

The young woman blinked. There was a certain, dull tone to her son's voice, nothing like the bright, chipper excitement she had grown used to hearing.

"What's the matter, Roy?" She asked with concern. "You look a little upset."

At this, Roy burst into tears and buried his face into his mother's lap. "Daddy hates me!"

"…what?"

"He hates me! He never wants to see me again!"

"Roy, your father does NOT hate you."

"Yes he does!" Roy whined. "He yelled at me and sent me out of his room."

"Shh, calm down and tell me what happened."

Composing himself a little, Roy was able to explain everything that transpired up until Eliwood ordered Roy to leave his study. His mother simply nodded at every word, understanding where Roy was going with this.

"So Daddy yelled at you because you were misbehaving?" She summed up. Roy sniffed and bobbed his head up and down as a "yes."

"Now, Roy," She continued. "Mommy and Daddy love you very much. But you have to realize that sometimes we have to be a little more strict whenever you do something bad. When you make a bad choice, then you will need to be punished for it. It doesn't mean that we hate you. We want you to learn from your mistakes so you don't make the same one again in the future. We only want what is best for you. Do you understand, son?"

"Uh-huh." Roy replied, wiping his tears.

"Good." She smiled and gave him a hug. "Listen, when Daddy comes out of his study, I want you to go up to him and apologize."

"But what if he doesn't forgive me?"

She sighed. "Roy, Daddy loves you no matter what. He will forgive you."

As if on cue, the creak of a door opening rang throughout the halls and the two could see Eliwood making his way to another room. Roy felt his mother give him a light push on his back, encouraging him to go now. Roy was hesitant at first, but then slowly slid off the couch to intercept his father's path. Eliwood stopped in his tracks and gazed down at his son, with his hands behind his back and his foot anxiously digging into the carpet.

"Daddy…" Roy squeaked. "I'm…sorry."

Eliwood raised an eyebrow. "Sorry? For what?"

"You know…when I acted bad."

Eliwood recollected that event and gave off a nod, kneeling down to meet Roy's height. The boy immediately turned away, but Eliwood merely cupped his son's cheek.

"Roy, look at me." He commanded.

When Roy turned around, he no longer saw the fierceness that once lingered in his blue eyes, but instead saw the loving and gentle gaze of a father.

"I forgive you, Roy." Eliwood said, smiling warmly. "And…I apologize too."

"For what?" Roy was confused now. Did his father do something bad?

Eliwood sighed guiltily. "A father should be firm and patient with his child when it comes to disciplining him. I was under a lot of stress, but that didn't give me a right to raise my voice like I did. I'm so sorry, Roy."

Roy grinned and threw his arms over the man's neck. "I love you, Daddy."

Eliwood smiled and rested his chin on Roy's slender shoulder. "I love you too, son. Forever and always. Never forget that."

From the side, Pherae's marchioness poked her head out to see the scene unfolding in the hallway. A small smile graced upon her lips at the result. The father-son relationship had mended.


End file.
